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Ocean Springs ready to spruce up

By: Leigh Coleman

OCEAN SPRINGS — Now that city aldermen have approved a nearly $4.3 million makeover project for downtown and Front Beach, the real work begins.

City planners are working on the next steps to transform conceptual drawings into bricks and mortar as they begin a $1.3 million Streetscape Improvement Project for downtown, a $2.1 million Front Beach plan, and a $400,000 sidewalk connection from Porter Avenue to the foot of the Biloxi Bay Bridge.

The first phase of the downtown overhaul includes new parking lots and the reconstruction of major intersections. A steady flow of complaints about the lack of downtown parking prompted city officials into land purchases for new lots.

The most recent land purchase was the Chamber of Commerce, known as the old Depot parking lot.

The city bought the land for $60,000 in May and will repave the lot, which will add more parking spaces. In an effort to relieve traffic congestion, the city also will construct a new entrance to the chamber parking lot off of Robinson Avenue to replace the current entrance off Washington Avenue. Installing new outlets at the site will assist vendors at the annual Peter Anderson Festival and the weekly Fresh Market.

The new Streetscape project is being funded by a CDBG grant and also includes another parking area at the Keyes Memorial Park site along Cash Alley, from Desoto Street north to Robinson Street.

“We looked at other land purchases in the city for parking but there were no other willing sellers,” said city planning director Eric Meyer. “These projects came from all of the public design forums and we listened to what the residents wanted, which was more walkability in the city as well as better downtown parking.”

The reconstruction of the old Depot site parking area, landscaping, irrigation, electrical infrastructure, lighting, and the construction of a new covered transit bus stop will begin in stages.

The new Streetscape project also includes a makeover for major intersections in the downtown area. A complete reconstruction of four street intersections: Washington Avenue at Robinson Street, Washington Avenue at Government Street, Washington Avenue at Porter Street, and Government Street at Martin Luther King Street will include a replacement of curbs, benches, sidewalks, paving and installation of new landscaping, irrigation, lighting and elevated brick crosswalks.

“The new crosswalks at the intersections will make it much safer for pedestrians as well as serving as a traffic calming measure,” said Mayor Connie Moran. “Overall downtown will be even more attractive and safer for our residents and visitors.”

City officials said they are trying to work with architects and construction engineers on the timing of street closures.

“We do not want to close of all of the intersections at one time,” said Meyer.

While work continues on the implementation of phase one of the plan, city planners have been busy with a new Front Beach design. A new 10-foot concrete walkway is being constructed on the south side of the seawall and will connect the Biloxi Bay Bridge walking path and stretch all the way to the Harbor Pier.

New decorative lighting will replace the temporary lights currently on Front Beach and island-type vegetation will be planted along the pathway to reduce sand erosion as well as to filter stormwater runoff from the street, officials said.

Outside showers will also be welcome addition for beach goers.

Posted at www.sunherald.com on July 4, 2009

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